Hypnosis… The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth
What is Hypnosis?In 1990, the Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. gave hypnosis the following definition.
"A state or condition in which the subject becomes highly responsive to suggestions. The hypnotized individual seems to follow instructions in an uncritical, automatic fashion and attends closely only to those aspects of the environment made relevant by the hypnotist."
You may also find other definitions of hypnosis, such as:
- An induced sleep-like state in which the subject readily accepts the hypnotist's suggestions . . . (Webster’s Dictionary)
- An altered state of consciousness
- Focused concentration
- Voluntary acceptance of a suggestion
And here is the hypnosis definition we give to our students (it seems to be the most clear and concise):
Hypnosis is a system or collection of methods that enables to bypass the critical factor of the conscious mind allowing direct access to the subconscious mind allowing mind and body to share information more effectively.
The actual state of hypnosis is a little harder to define. Until recently it was assumed that it was similar to sleep. In reality, there is a specific state that the brain enters into when it is receptive to suggestion. This has been discovered on PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and FMR (Function Magnetic Resonance) scans during hypnosis.
It is not an unusual state of mind, and may feel like you are not in a trance, or in hypnosis. For most people they simply feel relaxed. There is a change in the brain wave activity, similar to that time just before sleep.
During this time the mind is very open to visualizations and creating a rich sensory experience. In other words...
All hypnosis is...is self-hypnosis!
And the more real the experience becomes in the subconscious mind during this state, the more effect it will have on your waking behavior.
The important thing is - is that hypnosis can be one of the most powerful tools to change the way your mind experiences your world. If there ever was a magic wand, that could help you change anything about your life, your health or your behavior, this might be it.
Good hypnotherapists know how to gently release blocks and fears, and create a new inner belief that will set the wheels in motion to make changes in the way you think, feel and behave.
We are constantly hypnotizing ourselves. In fact, sometimes we are our own worst enemy - when we call ourselves names, or put ourselves down and reinforce fears and limitations. It can get to be a habit and if you do it long enough you will develop a belief that will get the results you ask for.
For instance, if you think you have a bad memory, or believe that your memory has to get worse as you get older… maybe it is at least partly due to your constant reinforcement that goes something like this:
- Oh, my memory is getting bad...
- I am so bad with names...
- I can't remember numbers...
- I won't be able to remember a thing...
All of the above are nothing more than hypnotic suggestions. They are just like suggestions that a hypnotherapist would give you during a hypnosis session. Your subconscious mind perceive all suggestions that come in (no matter who is "the source": you or your hypnotist) the same way and will create the effect you are asking for.
What if?
...Imagine what might happen if you just changed your suggestions that you give yourself on a daily basis?
What if you could let your mind easily change the way you feel about something you used to be afraid of? Or have more confidence? Or feel calm and relaxed and able to instantly lower your heart rate or blood pressure?
Hypnosis is a learned skill.
You have the power to make your brain happy or sad, afraid or confident, healthy or sick. Want to learn how to use it?
Is Hypnosis Dangerous?
Even though hypnosis is a normal state of mind, one which most people go in and out of every day there are a couple of things you should consider.
- Perhaps the greatest danger in the application of hypnosis would be using hypnosis to remove pain without consulting your physician first. Pain is an alarm mechanism of the body that protects you and alerts you to pay attention - it is useful pain.
It is very dangerous to use hypnosis to remove a pain that is useful. But if the pain has already served the purpose of alerting you (and became not useful), then we can remove that pain safely.
For example, if you wake up one morning with a piercing headache, first - you would want to find out the cause of the pain and take measures to correct the cause, and then - use hypnosis to relieve the pain.
- The second caution about hypnosis involves the qualifications of the person who is using hypnosis with you. Whatever condition you would like to use hypnosis for make sure the hypnotherapist you choose to work with, is properly trained and certified to work with this type of condition.
Other then that... We experience hypnosis every day and don't even know it.
When you are in a guided hypnotic trance session, or driving down the road in trance, you have an observer self, which is an actual part of you that is always aware and watching out for you. This observer self has been documented as a credible aspect of our mind, that keeps us safe, even when asleep.
During hypnosis you can trust that your observer self will watch over you. You would instantly get up and leave the room if it caught on fire, even if had previously felt like your arms and leg were too heavy to move.
In fact, since hypnosis can help make us sharper and more aware mentally, it actually may help keep us safer, by making us more aware of our surroundings during the day. If your perception of what is happening around you is better, you will notice things that are happening with greater clarity and perhaps make better decisions.
Can anyone be hypnotized?
Everyone who is willing to be hypnotized can be hypnotized under the right conditions.
Actually, there are three pre-requisites for hypnosis to occur:
- Your willingness to experience this wonderful state
- A minimal level of intelligence
- An ability to follow simple instructions (like close your eyes) without
over-analyzing them
Are YOU ready to be hypnotized? - Call (847) 760-5000 to schedule
your free consultation with one of our hypnotherapists
To healthy, happy you!
APA Staff & Faculty
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